How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, there are several factors that you can consider to make sure that you're choosing the best one for you. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as are its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, you also want to think about cost.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, licensure is handled at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in New Jersey need to be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can earn the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires that a company show that its practices are more environmentally friendly and that its employees receive up-to-date training. Trade organizations such as QualityPro offer other certifications. These are not required, but can help demonstrate that a pest control company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also become members of certain professional organizations. A pest control company can obtain membership in state-level organizations as well as national organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). While not mandatory, membership in these organizations helps prove a company's reputability and gives it access to resources, education, and a network of professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at a pest control company's website can tell you how many years it has been in operation and what kind of pests it specializes in eliminating. Local reviews can also offer some insight into a company's experience dealing with a specific pest. If this information isn't available online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look at a company's rating and reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), read local review sites and social media to find out what others in your area have to say, or verify its license standing via the New Jersey licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors can all affect the cost of pest control.
You can learn whether a company provides free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget) and what kind of guarantees it offers. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not solve your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Safety is an important consideration when deciding on a pest control expert, and you might prefer a provider who employs more natural, environmentally friendly pest control solutions.
Safety
You should ask your pest control provider if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what precautionary measures they are going to use. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician will be able to supply you with information about all pesticides they plan on using.
Treatment Methods
Pest control companies looking to reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides often follow practices such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Using IPM involves a series of steps:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of physical, cultural, biological, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always in combination with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
